Specialist Speech and Language Therapist - Acute Stroke Unit

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Specialist Speech and Language Therapist - Acute Stroke Unit

NHS AfC: Band 6

Main area Speech and Language Therapy Grade NHS AfC: Band 6 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 391-NMUH-8319791

Site North Middlesex University Hospital Town London Salary £45,953 - £54,254 Inclusive of Outer HCAS per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 04/11/2026 23:59

Our trust has over 17,000 staff serving 2 million patients every year. It comprises Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital and more than 30 services in the community. This larger scale organisation provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to continue our pioneering work, particularly in finding ways to deliver even better care to our patients.

Our mission is to deliver world class care and expertise in our clinical services, underpinned by world class teaching and research and we will continue to measure our progress against our five governing objectives: excellent outcomes, excellent patient and staff experience, excellent value for taxpayers’ money, being safe and meeting our external duties, and building a strong organisation.

Everyone is welcome at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME, gender equality, staff carers and people with disabilities and lived experiences to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.

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Are you an experienced Band 5 or developing band 6 looking for your next challenge? We are looking for a Band 6 therapist keen to further develop their clinical and leadership skills within our Acute Stroke Unit. You will ideally have experience of the inpatient setting and will have completed your dysphagia competencies and be able to manage an independent caseload.

You will be part of a supportive, friendly, established ASU MDT providing swallowing and communication assessment, management and therapy. You will work alongside and be supported by the Highly Specialist SLT based on ASU. The role also offers the opportunity to develop your competencies in VF with twice weekly Videofluoroscopy clinics. Your patients access to our FEEs service. You will benefit from supportive supervision and we encourage an active learning environment with the SLT team on ASU currently participating in an active clinical trial.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will assess, treat and manage adults on ASU with acquired swallowing and communication disorders. They will work closely with, and report to, the Highly Specialist SLT who is located on the unit. The role involves close working and liaison with ASU MDT workers and the candidate will hold key worker responsibilities.

The post holder will participate in delivering training to the ASU multidisciplinary team, family and carers and to the wider SLT service as required. They will have the opportunity to participate in service development, continuing professional development and other clinical governance activities to maintain and further develop personal knowledge and clinical practice . They will also be required to participate in the clinical supervision of students and Band 5s as required.

Working for our organisation

NMUH North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Hospital Trust (NMUH) is one of London’s busiest healthcare providers, providing hospital care and community services for the 350,000 people living in Enfield, Haringey and beyond. Our specialist services include HIV, cardiology, blood disorders, diabetes, fertility, sickle cell and thalassemia. In addition to a full range of cancer diagnosis and treatment services, the Helen Rollason Cancer Support Centre is based on-site and provides services to support cancer patients’ wellbeing. We also provide community services and have a dedicated 0-19 service for children and young people in Enfield so that they can get the best possible start in life. This includes health visitors and school nurses who are delivering the national Healthy Child Programme, which provides a structured framework for the delivery of key interventions to support the health and wellbeing of children and families from 0 to 5 and school aged children from 5-19. The 0-19 service aims to improve pathways and partnerships with services in the hospital and deliver excellent care for the children and families. For more information, please access the following link: https://www.northmid.nhs.uk/

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the Job Description for more information about the role and responsibilities involved.

Person specification

Education & Professional Qualifications

• Degree or MSc in Speech and Language Therapy
• Health Professions Council Registration to Practice
• Registered Member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

Royal Free World Class Values

• Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values

Experience

• Experience of working with adults with acquired communication and swallowing difficulties and managing a clinical caseload independently
• Experience of managing demand in a busy, ideally acute setting, demonstrating ability to appropriately prioritise and manage workload efficiently and facilitate patient flow
• Experience of working with colleagues in health and other agencies.
• Experience of working as a member of a multi- disciplinary team, and ability to identify ways to facilitate effective team working.
• Experience and understanding of issues involved with working in a diverse community and of practical ways to ensure SLT practice is culturally appropriate and accessible

Skills and Aptitudes

• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate complex information clearly (verbal and written) and to overcome barriers to communication.
• Ability to assimilate and analyse complex clinical information.
• Ability to negotiate and deal with conflict.
• Knowledge and ability to use a range of specialist assessment tools and procedures to evaluate adult acquired communication and swallowing impairments within an acute stroke setting
• Knowledge of the role of instrumental assessment of swallowing within this setting (Videofluoroscopy/FEES) and impact on longer term swallow management.
• Knowledge of a range of therapeutic interventions relevant to adults with acquired communication and swallowing impairments and ability to demonstrate the evidence base for these approaches.
• Ability to organise and prioritise own caseload and that of student and junior staff.
• Understanding the role of and process of clinical supervision, both as a supervisee and supervisor.

Personal qualities and attributes

• Commitment to lifelong learning
• Team player

Others

• Evidence of responding flexibly to change
• Engagement with special interest groups within Speech and Language

Applications are welcome from people wishing to job share or work flexible patterns. We are committed to equal opportunities.

Please note:

• Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date. Therefore please apply for this post as soon as you can, if you are interested and you meet the requirements of the Person Specification
• Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.
• Interview arrangements will be communicated via email so please check your email regularly following the closing date.

Please be advised that due to exceptionally high demand, all Royal Free accommodation is at full capacity and waiting lists are being held. Average waiting times are 12 months. Please do not rely on Trust accommodation when you commence your role and ensure you investigate alternative accommodation for your arrival.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Application numbers

We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.

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